Bainbridge Island teachers agreed today to walk off the job later this week for a one-day protest.

During Monday’s Bainbridge Island Education Association meeting, teachers took a 99 percent ‘yes’ vote to participate in a one-day strike to draw attention to the state Legislature’s inadequate school-funding proposals.

“It went very well,” said David Layton, the president of the Bainbridge Island Education Association. He said the general mood of those in the room was “determined” and “they’re determined this Legislature will do what the court says what they have to do.”

School will be canceled Thursday, April 30 as educators will not be on site to teach. Parents were alerted last week by the Bainbridge Island School District that the cancellation was possible.

However, teachers will not be going home to relax for the day, said Layton, who is also a language arts/American studies teacher at Bainbridge High.

Early in the morning, educators will head to Olympia to continue protesting — much like they did this past weekend — and waving signs around the community, including near the ferry terminal. The public is invited to join in, Layton said.

The bus leaves from Woodward Middle School at 8:30 a.m. to Olympia.

“We know that this is a difficult, difficult thing to do, but that’s why they’re there,” Layton said of the Legislature’s job.

According to Layton, the last largest teacher strike was back in 1991 when thousands of teachers took to the capital.